Monday, January 14, 2008 MILF denies asking fees from recruits By Ben O. Tesiorna
"WE ARE not asking fees from our recruits," was the categorical denial made by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on reports that they are imposing fees on their new recruits especially in Sulu.
In a report posted on MILF's website, www.Luwaran.com, the rebel group said the statement of Major General Ruben Rafael, commanding officer of Task Force Comet based in Jolo, Sulu, is nothing but a black propaganda against the MILF.
Rafael was quoted as saying that "he received reports that the MILF in Sulu is recruiting members and trying to establish mass base in the area and collect fees for the issuance of identification card (ID) as a ticket for integration in the military."
Rafael also claimed "some people are using the government integration program with the MNLF as come-on to fool people for integration although there is no integration anymore".
A political officer of the MILF committee on information, who requested anonymity, however said it is not the policy of the MILF Central Committee to issue IDs to members because MILF members do not like to be identified or their persons exposed.
"Secondly, the MILF will not and will never accept integration of its members into the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) or the Philippine National Police (PNP) like the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) which they accepted integration," the same source said.
The MILF claimed that their base in Sulu has not recruited members since 2007 up to the present time, "because MILF in Sulu is well-organized with enough manpower and firepower to contain any given situation".
"This is proven by the fact that in Sulu, the MILF has base command of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) with several thousands of its members to include the Bangsamoro Women Auxiliary Brigade (BWAB) and several hundreds of political officers from the provincial level down to the barangay level," the MILF said.
